An Essay On Mahatma Gandhi

• Is Gandhi a “progressive” thinker? That is, does he, like Mill, have an idea of progress in history at the heart of his program of social reforms? Does he think of the elimination of untouchability, Hindu-Muslim unity, equality of women, and the khadi as moves forward into the future or back to ancient values and practices? [Choose one or two of these and explain.]

I see in Ghandi a clear belief that he is striving to go back to ancient values and practices. I also believe that this definition is not clear-cut enough, for he also shows that it is not just a nostalgia that he is hopelessly yearning for. He doesn't say there once was a paradise which he now wants to recover. The phrase “back to” assumes there once was a greater time and “forward into the future” assumes times have always been bad and the best is a future goal that may never be reached. I believe Ghandi’s writing addresses a better time and looks to that for guidance, but there is also no question that he is a progressive thinker in the way he advocates radical changes never seen before in the written history of his country. Concerning the equality of women, Ghandi claims that "man cannot bring about the regeneration of women." (127) This statement implies what Ghandi goes on to clarify: "It [regeneration] presupposes degeneration and, if that is so, we should further consider what led to it and how." (127) To account for this period of degeneration, Ghandi points to the imperfection of humans and their interference with tradition:

"What the authors of the various smritis have said about women can in no wise be defended...My attempt is to show that the imperfection of the smritis comes from interpolated passages, that is to say, verses inserted by persons accepted as smritikaras [authors of smritis] in the period of our degeneration. It is easy to demonstrate the grandeur of the smritis minus these verses." (128)

Looking at this passage we can clearly see that Ghandi believes in a past where the Truth was more readily seen in human interactions; interaction that have been skewed in favor of selfish mindsets. That being said, Ghandi doesn’t point to a specific time in human history where men and women were equal. This leads me to believe that instead of qualifying Ghandi as simply a progressive thinker or a nostalgic dreamer, we must see Ghandi as one who believes in a Truth that pervades all of time but has yet to fully realize itself. We can see this dynamic in Ghandi’s reply to a reader asking about “the inborn enmity between Hindus and Mahomedans.” (111) Ghandi never recites odes proclaiming the glory of days past, but recognizes that “Hindus flourished under Moslem sovereigns and Moslems under the Hindu. Each party recognized that mutual fighting was suicidal, and that neither party would abandon its religion by force of arms? Both parties, therefore, decided to live in peace. With the English advent quarrels re-commenced.” (111) Here Ghandi points to a different source of their struggles, the English, citing them as an intrusion on a culture that was better off before. Ghandi was progressive in his idea of non-violence, believing non-violence to be not simply a means to an end, but a way to look at all of life. Taking that into account, this progressive ideal needs to be looked at as a Truth Ghandi believes to have been present for all time in some way or another. Ghandi believes himself to be a Hindu, thus looking back to a history of Hinduism. He doesn’t believe himself a prophet, but an ordinary individual who is trying to bring out the utmost Truth from his religion, a religion that has been established before his birth. Ghandi’s search to bring forth Truth but not create Truth is exemplified in the following passage:

“I came to the conclusion long ago, after prayerful search and study and discussion with as many people as I could meet, that all religions were true and also that all had some error in them, and that whilst I hold by my own, I should hold others as dear as Hinduism, from which it logically follows that we should hold all as dear as our nearest kith and kin and that we should make no distinction between them.” (116)

Ghandi is intent on revealing the ideal personification and practice of Truth by taking the scriptures of his ancestors and bringing them into the future. To say that he is simply moving forward or looking back limits Ghandi’s teachings, for I believe he is trying to reveal a Truth that transcends time. He is trying to show people what has been present in humans since the dawn of time and will be forever.